Monday, April 12, 2010

I believe they were all the rage in the 80's. It's fascinating what a thrill that silly plate brought to me and my siblings as tikes. We counted it a big deal. The plate was used by each of us twice a year. Once on your birthday and also the sunday dinner following. Which also meant we got to pick where we got to sit at the table, (this was always a fuss because everyone wanted to sit next to my dad). Thinking about that red plate brings back a flood of mental souvenirs from my childhood. I wanted to carry on that tradition in my own home. An updated version of course. After some contemplation I finally came up with my own spin of the birthday plate. We had a few unfinished chairs in our basement collecting dust. With a little leftover paint and scraps of fabric one of those chairs became this…

This is our birthday chair!

The kids use it for every meal on their birthday and for sunday dinner. They also get to use it at their birthday party. My girls feel like they have a throne. And not only do they sit on it to eat their cake, but then it's pulled out into the room that they may perch upon it as they open presents. A little birthday tip that has worked for me…To keep kids occupied and from bickering over who gets to give their present next we play pass the present. Basically everyone forms a circle, present in hand. Music is played and presents are passed to the right. When the music stops which ever present the birthday boy/girl is holding they get to open. (Think hot potato with a twist). That way all the kids feel involved, and don't ask me why but somehow (so far) it keeps them from crowding around the birthday child.

I made this chair a year ago, and since have concluded that I should have used a gender neutral color and put "chair" in place of "girl". Fortunately I have another chair so I will be making another for Momo. Which I think is a project I may take on sooner than later. I've started to realize the poor kid is going to be stuck with first a pink bike then he'll graduate to a purple one. To top it off, he'll have a pink helmet too. He'll also be sporting soccer shoes with pink stripes. (Which makes me think of our neighbors little boy who wears his sisters old purple snow boots, which I actually think is pretty rad). Because Momo is going to be stuck with loads of pink and purple hand-me-downs (or a few that have a cheap spray paint job). He at least can have his own birthday chair.

I just fell upon your blog. You are amazing. Seriously. I am just sitting here in awe. I am completely in love with this chair. Thank you for sharing it. I just love your blog. I want to post about this (giving credit back to you of course). I really really want to do this tradition. And I love love love your pass the present idea too. I have a boy having a birthday very soon. I think I need to head over to DI and see if I can find a cheap chair to redo! Thanks the inspiration!

my m.i.l. gave me the "you are special today plate" for my first anniversary. we too use it for special occasions/birthdays.

when my kids were babies i made them each plates. imagine stick figure family members on a ceramic plate with the saying "we are blessed."first plate is a family now 3, then family of 4, followed by a family of 5. my kiddos eat off this plate on their birthdays.

Hi Anj, Guess what? I also posted my idea for a family birthday chair recently! You can see it in my blog header and under Crafts:felt! I just love yours and would love to share it with my readers, could you drop by on Sunday and link to it at my linking party? all the best and hope to see you there!

I LOVE the chair! It's an awesome idea. I also like the idea of pass the present! I'm going to have to try that at the next party! All the kids crowding around makes me crazy and it's hard to get photos!

how happy am i to have stumbles upon your blog today- my littlest gal turns 5 next week & she is going to looove a chair like this- big thanks for the inspiration- yours is total heaven....my big girl handed down her pink bike- resprayed a very cool 'wasabi' green to her brother- who then handed in down sprayed a very cool 'lavender' to his little sister- & they all especially liked to pick the paint off & have the last colour showing through...my sons fave colour currently is pink and my littlests is yellow not ever pink...all good from a childs perspective- isnt it!

Cute Chair! love the little cushion and banner too...You could easily change that chair to say chair instead of girl...I especially liked the gift giving game--you're right all the kids want to crowd around during gift giving time. Drives me nuts! I wonder if adults would play that game...lol!

PERMISSIONS

I'm honored to the tips of my toes when someone uses my photos on their blog or on pinterest. Feel free to do so, however please don't post a full tutorial. Remember to link back to this blog and give me credit. And if you wouldn't mind letting me know... I'd love to see it, because it would make my day!